by our College Data Analytics TeamWant the scoop on American University? We have put together a comprehensive report on the school that covers what majors The American University offers, how the school ranks, how diverse it is, and much more.
At American University, students can earn anything from associate degrees through the doctor’s degree - research/scholarship and professional practice.
| Degree Level | Offered |
|---|---|
| Certificate | — |
| Associate | ✓ |
| Bachelor’s | ✓ |
| Master’s | ✓ |
| Doctorate | ✓ |
Completions: 4,280 undergraduate · 4,996 graduate (9,276 total)
Ranked by the number of degrees awarded, these are the most popular majors at American University.
| Most Popular Majors | Graduates |
|---|---|
| Multi-Disciplinary Studies | 4,638 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies. | 794 |
| Law. | 378 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | 324 |
| Political Science and Government. | 288 |
The following majors at American University have the strongest reported average salaries.
| Highest-Paying Majors | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Taxation. | $93,187 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods. | $87,167 |
| Computer Science. | $73,918 |
| Public Administration. | $69,734 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services. | $65,611 |
The majors at American University are organized below by area of study, with graduates, average salary, and specializations for each.
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-Disciplinary Studies | 4,638 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| International Relations and National Security Studies. ↳ International Relations and Affairs. |
794 | $50,613 |
| Political Science and Government. ↳ Political Science and Government, General. · Political Science and Government, Other. |
288 | $45,217 |
| Economics. ↳ Economics, General. · Econometrics and Quantitative Economics. · Economics, Other. · Development Economics and International Development. · International Economics. |
120 | $53,260 |
| Sociology. ↳ Sociology, General. |
18 | $34,261 |
| Anthropology. ↳ Anthropology, General. |
17 | $41,034 |
| Social Sciences, Other. | 1 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Law. | 378 | $60,267 |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies. ↳ Advanced Legal Research/Studies, General. · International Law and Legal Studies. · International Business, Trade, and Tax Law. · Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies, Other. · Intellectual Property Law. · American/U.S. Law/Legal Studies/Jurisprudence. |
153 | $48,710 |
| Non-Professional Legal Studies. | 40 | $44,628 |
| Legal Professions and Studies, Other. | 1 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. ↳ Business Administration and Management, General. · Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other. · Project Management. |
324 | $63,408 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods. ↳ Management Science. |
109 | $87,167 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services. ↳ Finance, General. |
49 | $65,611 |
| Accounting and Related Services. ↳ Accounting. |
26 | $61,356 |
| Human Resources Management and Services. ↳ Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General. |
22 | NA |
| Marketing. ↳ Marketing/Marketing Management, General. |
18 | NA |
| International Business. ↳ International Business/Trade/Commerce. |
10 | NA |
| Real Estate. | 7 | NA |
| Taxation. | 5 | $93,187 |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods. ↳ Elementary Education and Teaching. · Secondary Education and Teaching. · Early Childhood Education and Teaching. |
173 | $58,228 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision. ↳ Educational Leadership and Administration, General. |
101 | $61,023 |
| International and Comparative Education. | 13 | $48,881 |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language. ↳ Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language/ESL Language Instructor. |
5 | NA |
| Special Education and Teaching. ↳ Education/Teaching of Individuals with Specific Learning Disabilities. |
1 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Public Administration. | 162 | $69,734 |
| Public Policy Analysis. ↳ Public Policy Analysis, General. |
98 | $59,308 |
| Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other. | 2 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other. ↳ Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other. |
174 | $44,939 |
| Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution. | 36 | $50,964 |
| Data Science. ↳ Data Science, General. · Data Science, Other. |
35 | NA |
| Data Analytics. ↳ Financial Analytics. · Data Analytics, General. |
8 | NA |
| International/Globalization Studies. | 6 | NA |
| Computational Science. | 2 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication. ↳ Public Relations/Image Management. · Political Communication. · International and Intercultural Communication. |
90 | $47,182 |
| Communication, General. ↳ Mass Communication/Media Studies. |
84 | $52,991 |
| Journalism. | 77 | $41,184 |
| Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other. | 3 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Criminal Justice and Corrections. ↳ Criminal Justice/Safety Studies. · Corrections and Criminal Justice, Other. |
154 | $41,686 |
| Homeland Security. | 77 | $58,107 |
| Security Science and Technology. ↳ Cybersecurity Defense Strategy/Policy. |
5 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts. ↳ Film/Cinema/Media Studies. · Cinematography and Film/Video Production. · Photography. |
79 | $33,288 |
| Design and Applied Arts. ↳ Graphic Design. · Game and Interactive Media Design. |
24 | $43,551 |
| Fine and Studio Arts. ↳ Fine/Studio Arts, General. · Art History, Criticism and Conservation. |
22 | $38,845 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft. ↳ Musical Theatre. · Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General. |
17 | $25,854 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management. ↳ Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management, General. |
11 | $47,574 |
| Music. ↳ Music, General. |
8 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 109 | $35,226 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology. ↳ Clinical Psychology. |
2 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research. ↳ Environmental Studies. · Environmental Science. |
96 | $53,337 |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Public Health. ↳ Public Health, General. · Public Health Education and Promotion. |
75 | $39,036 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services. ↳ Health/Health Care Administration/Management. |
8 | NA |
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs. ↳ Pre-Medicine/Pre-Medical Studies. |
1 | NA |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration. ↳ Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry. |
1 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Biology, General. ↳ Biology/Biological Sciences, General. |
40 | $33,080 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences. ↳ Neuroscience. |
23 | NA |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology. ↳ Biochemistry. |
8 | NA |
| Biotechnology. | 4 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| History. ↳ History, General. |
60 | $39,634 |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Statistics. ↳ Statistics, General. · Statistics, Other. |
30 | NA |
| Mathematics. ↳ Mathematics, General. |
10 | NA |
| Mathematics and Statistics, Other. | 10 | NA |
| Applied Mathematics. ↳ Applied Mathematics, General. |
1 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Literature. ↳ General Literature. |
39 | $38,528 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies. ↳ Creative Writing. |
11 | $33,988 |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services. ↳ Language Interpretation and Translation. |
35 | NA |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics. ↳ Spanish Language and Literature. |
8 | NA |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics. ↳ Chinese Language and Literature. · Japanese Language and Literature. |
2 | NA |
| Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics. ↳ Arabic Language and Literature. |
2 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science. | 26 | $73,918 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management. ↳ Computer/Information Technology Services Administration and Management, Other. |
13 | NA |
| Information Science/Studies. | 7 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Philosophy. ↳ Ethics. · Philosophy. · Applied and Professional Ethics. |
42 | $41,396 |
| Religion/Religious Studies. | 2 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services. ↳ Foods, Nutrition, and Wellness Studies, General. |
36 | $49,550 |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies. ↳ Women's Studies. · Disability Studies. · African-American/Black Studies. |
20 | NA |
| Area Studies. ↳ American/United States Studies/Civilization. · Asian Studies/Civilization. · German Studies. · Latin American Studies. · Russian Studies. · European Studies/Civilization. · Near and Middle Eastern Studies. |
15 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness. ↳ Sport and Fitness Administration/Management. |
21 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians. ↳ Recording Arts Technology/Technician. |
20 | $26,863 |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Chemistry. ↳ Chemistry, General. |
6 | NA |
| Physics. ↳ Physics, General. |
6 | NA |
| Physical Sciences, Other. | 2 | NA |
Footnotes
*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.